On May 15, 2008 at 6:30 PM, Connecticut Audubon's Milan Bull, led a guided tour of the spring migration of shorebirds along the Ash Creek tidal estuary.  Kraig Steffen, Vice President created this photo journal of the event:

We started out near the sand spit at St Mary's in the light rain.  

We quickly saw some interesting birds, including the Night Heron above (last two photos).

We then walked along ash creek and saw hooded mergansors, shorebirds, a woodpecker, various sparrows, grackles, and starlings.  We stopped along Sailor's Lane to look out across the creek at the Osprey on the nest and her mate enjoying a fish (looked liked a Koi!) on a nearby branch. (second photo)  

We then went up the hill and checked out the nesting Herons, along with some movie crew workers!

Then it was back down to the water for a group photo (third photo).

And then down to the beach for an introduction to Project Limulus, the Horseshoe crab tagging project (fourth and fifth photos). 

Aha, a pair of mating crabs (sixth photo)

Mark Beekey from Sacred Heart University giving us information on the crabs (10th photo)

 A new Crab fan, Mary Erkan, Secretary of the Ash Creek Conservation Association (11th photo)  Tucker learns about a male crab (12th photo) 

It was, as always, a fun and enjoyable time with Milan Bull from the Connecticut Audubon Society.  Lots of birds, lots of interesting information about salt marsh ecology and the value of ash creek, and a great introduction to Project Limulus, the Horseshoe Crab census project.

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